Museum of Zoology Department
The museum of Zoology department was established in Shawwal 1390 H (1970) with a few samples of birds and some young mammals. The number of specimens in the museum increased gradually through the mummification of many animal samples that were brought to the museum through field trips carried out by the department's staff to collect animal samples from different environments and habitats in the Kingdom, as well as samples received from some of the employees of the university and the staff of wildlife reserves to support and enrich the museum with animal samples.
However, the bulk of the museum samples of insects, invertebrates, fish, amphibians, birds and mammals were collected through organizing field trips by the department to collect samples of field studies carried out by students of the department in various environments of the Kingdom.
The museum contains a large number of animal groups of the kingdom, which are scientifically arranged and classified to facilitate the work of researchers and students in studying the types of animals found in the Kingdom's environments. Moreover, the museum also contains an integrated unit for animal mummification and conservation which helps a lot during the teaching process in the department.
It should be noted that the museum receives annually hundreds of students from the general education stages, both from inside and outside Riyadh, in addition to many visitors and researchers from inside and outside the Kingdom.
Vision
Spreading the culture of scientific museums and natural history as one of the tributaries of knowledge and learning.
Message
Dissemination of scientific information and knowledge through samples presented to visitors in a manner that promotes self-learning.
Objectives
1. Providing the appropriate place for the reference samples (Prototype) of different animal wildtypes in the Kingdom and the conservation of samples used in scientific projects (MSc., PhD.) in the department as a reference.
2. Providing scientific services to students of the Zoology Department, post-graduate students and researchers from inside and outside the Kingdom.
3. Giving the students at various stages of public education the chance to visit the museum to identify various types of animals in the local environment, and to identify their habitats.
4. Providing scientific and knowledge services to community members and visitors enabling them to see and learn about various animal groups existing in local environments of the Kingdom as a cultural facility to provide a clear picture of the local wildlife.
5. Participating in scientific and cultural exhibitions to display the animals and environments of the Kingdom at the university level and beyond, and to provide schools with some samples that they wish to display upon establishing scientific and technical exhibitions and returning them after the expiry of the presentation period.
6. Providing training courses on mummification for science and biology teachers in general education schools as well as hobbyists of mummification and preservation of samples, in order to be able to mummify some samples and use them as educational aids.
The museum includes some of the phyla of the animal world of different classes and orders collected mostly from the regions and environments of the Kingdom in addition to few animal samples received from some international museums as well as Riyadh Zoo and hobbyists of birds and pets breeding.
Here is some information on selected classes and orders and their examples:
Museum address: Zoology Department - First Floor (1B) - 69
Museum Director: Mr. Badr Yahya Al-Asiri